Will Smith: '2012 was the year of mutiny in my family'

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Will Smith has dubbed 2012 the year of his family's "mutiny" after clashing with his wife Jada and daughter Willow over his leadership skills.

The Pursuit of Happyness actor prides himself on his family bond, but the most important relationships with the women in his life broke down six years ago when they challenged Will over his ego.

The superstar recently opened up about overcoming marital issues with Jada Pinkett Smith and growing pains with singer/actress Willow Smith on his wife's Facebook series Red Table Talk, and in a new interview with Haute Living magazine, he reveals their strong wills forced him to rethink his approach to life.

"(I) secretly call (2012) the year of the mutiny," he said. "And 2012 was really the year that my family rejected the direction of my leadership. And that was the main thing that happened."

Will blames his own strict upbringing with his Air Force veteran father with shaping his views about a man's role at home.

"(The) things that I brought in from my childhood were, we are in a family business, we all work together and I'm in command," the 50 year old shared. "I am the leader, and the way that we win is by everyone doing what I say."

That all changed after Willow shot to pop stardom with her 2010 smash hit Whip My Hair and signed a record deal with rap mogul JAY-Z's Roc Nation company - before deciding she wanted to take an extended break from the limelight.

"Willow was really the first person during Whip My Hair that decided she didn't want to do what I said," Will recalled. "Because she was the baby girl, she really had the most power over me. As a man - if your daughter says no, there's really nothing you can do."

"She really tested me," he added. "She was like, no she didn't want to. She was done with Whip My Hair. She was done with performing, and as a protest, she shaved her head bald. That was really the first time that I realised that my family wasn't happy with the direction that I was taking them."

Will has since "lightened up" on Willow, now 18, and her brothers Trey, 26, and Jaden, 20.

His remarks emerge shortly after Willow confessed she had to learn to "forgive" her mum and dad for pressuring her to continue with her early pop endeavour in Monday's episode of Red Table Talk.

"I definitely had to forgive you and daddy for that whole Whip My Hair thing," she told Jada. "It was mostly daddy because he was so harsh at certain times.

"It was (happening for) a couple of years, honestly. Trying to regain trust for not feeling like I was being listened to or like no one cared how I felt."

The process of healing also led to Willow acknowledging the need to ease up on herself: "I had to forgive myself because I felt guilty because everyone is trying to make me better, trying to make my dream," she reflected. "But I didn't really understand what my dream entailed."